“Holy Father, what do you mean?”
“I mean that the girl has gone astray, and you have not prevented her.”
It apparently did not occur to him that both father and mother had aforetime gone astray, and that it hardly behooved them to talk of lapses of their daughter while making religious professions themselves. But the mother only turned pale and gasped.
“I do not see how it can be. Tell me what you mean, Holy Father.”
“Ambrosia has been meeting Saguanaldo, the enemy of his country and of religion—meeting him in secret and at night. I will not say that she has fallen from virtue, for that is not so bad as lapsing from her God and her duty. Fornication might be forgiven, but the sin against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness. Woman, these meetings must cease. You hear me; they must cease.”
The woman trembled and mumbled. Her eyes fell as she replied:
“I will do my best, Holy Father.”
“Do your best! Damnation! Am I to be told that you will do your best? I tell you your daughter is the enemy of God, and you will only do your best to stop her. Do your best, Diablo! Forbid her leaving the house; keep her in prison; put her in a convent. This thing must stop. Woman, do you hear me?”
The mother faltered, and crossed herself. Apparently she was willing, but had not the strength of character to enforce her will.
“You speak to her, Holy Father,” she spoke hardly above a whisper. But the irate priest turned away with an imperious gesture. As he turned Ambrosia herself entered from a side door and now confronted him.